


Blood and Roses

by starryeyes1312



Category: The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: Angst, Brian having a sword is gay rights, Fluff, I cried writing this, M/M, but like the type of fluff thats only there to get you off guard, tw emotional manipulation, tw violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:53:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26909188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starryeyes1312/pseuds/starryeyes1312
Summary: When Jonny grasped Brian’s hand, it felt sudden. But it also felt so right, like everything had been leading up to the two of them together on top of the Aurora.
Relationships: Drumbot Brian & Jonny d'Ville, Drumbot Brian/Jonny d'Ville
Comments: 5
Kudos: 60





	Blood and Roses

It was a lonely night in space, hundreds of lightyears away from any inhabited planet. But it was worth it for the view. A hundred thousand stars were shining in spite of an uncaring universe. Purple and blue and green were streaked across the sky like they had been brushed on by a clumsy painter. But Brian could only look at Jonny. He was sitting on top of the starship, looking distantly into the vacuum. They were so close together, and Brian could have reached out and held him. He didn’t think Jonny would much enjoy it though, his cold clockwork body being no substitute for human warmth. 

His hand fished around in his pocket, pulling out a deep red rose. Brian was quite proud of his little rose plant, having managed to keep it alive in the depths of space for months. He always liked to tuck a rose into his hat, partly because he thought it made him look distinguished and partly because he hoped someone would ask him how he had gotten ahold of one. He pressed the rose into Jonny’s hand, trying to keep the fragile petals intact.

Jonny looked at him, confused. “Did you drop this? You really should be careful with your roses, I know how much you like them.” 

“No, it’s a gift- wait, you noticed my roses?” 

“Yeah, you’re real fussy about them. Can’t quite understand it but it’s-“ Jonny paused, searching for the right word. His eyes met Brian’s mechanical ones and he smiled. “It’s beautiful.” 

When Jonny grasped Brian’s hand, it felt sudden. But it also felt so right, like everything had been leading up to the two of them together on top of the Aurora, holding a rose between their palms. 

******

When Brian awoke groggily, Jonny was wrapped around him like a blanket. Brian didn’t want to open his eyes, because he was sure that it must be a dream and it would slip through his fingers like sand. 

“Jonny?”

“I’m here,” he said softly, untangling himself. “But let’s get going.” He kissed Brian’s forehead gently and placed his hat on his head. It had fallen off in the night along with the rose, which Jonny made sure to tuck into the brim. 

“We’ve got things to do.” He pointed to a rust colored planet surrounded by a halo of debris. 

******

Brian could not remember when he had been switched to ends justify means, but he knew that he was happier. This was right; he was doing the right thing. His sword arced across the air, blood splashing the air and staining his goggles. His grip was solid and strong. Jonny was beside him, his pistols firing wildly. Some bullets hit their targets, others ricocheted off small huts, and the rest sank into the red sand. The two stepped over squirming, lifeless and decomposing bodies alike. Sounds of screams and running and panic came from all directions. 

Brian grabbed Jonny’s face and looked into his eyes, blue but glistening with thirst for crimson. A bullet struck Brian’s back, but his metal body absorbed it without a flinch. “I love you, Jonny.” 

“I love you too.” Jonny grinned and went back to shooting. Gunshots, slashes, explosions, none made a dent on either of them. Jonny laughed and Brian joined in, echoing across the shanty town turned battlefield. 

His sword was still swinging long after the last of the people were mowed down. “You can stop now, love!” Jonny said, his words full of laughter. 

Electricity pumped through Brian’s wires, heating his circuitry and his metal skin. He sheathed his sword and grabbed his lover by the hand. “That was beautiful,” he said, his smile wide and genuine and dotted with deep red blood.

******

Brian had washed the blood off. He knew he had. He had scrubbed and scrubbed but it felt like it would always be there, invisible but haunting him. He wanted to cry, to let the tears flow from his eyes as naturally as a river, but his godforsaken mechanical body had no room for tears or tear ducts. He could see the others looking at him, he knew they could see the blood staining him that he had tried so hard to wash off. Barely noticing where his feet were taking him, he ran up a flight of clanking stairs and arrived on the roof of the starship. He lay down, metal on metal, staring above at the dashes of color and twinkling of stars. He had a moment alone like that before the frantic pounding of footsteps. 

“Brian, I’m so sorry, i should have never let them set you back to means justify ends-“

“Is that what you think the issue is?” Brian sat up, pleading eyes making contact. “They were innocent, Jonny!” 

“You knew that, love,” he said, staring back.

“Don’t call me that,” Brian said, eyes now fixed on the floor.

Jonny held out a rose, the same rose Brian had given him the night before. It had become a bit crumpled, the petals dropping off into the cold vacuum. “You’re the same person I fell in love with.” 

He took the rose and stared at it for a moment before dropping it limply. “No, I’m not.” 

Jonny made a sound like he was choking down a wave of tears. “I-I understand. We don’t have to… stay together.” 

Brian nodded. “Thank you.” He embraced him in one last hug, warmed by his presence. 

Jonny, his throat still filled with what threatened to become sobs, reached around to Brian’s back and pulled a switch neatly marked with the words “Ends Justify Means”. 

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, as the gears started to clank and whirr.


End file.
